Automatic heat-regulating apparatus



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet. 1. O. P. GOODHUE. AUTOMATIC HEAT BEGULATING APPARATUS.

Patented Mar. 13, 1894.

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WITNESSES- (No Model.) 8 Sheets-Sheet 2. O. F. GOODHUE. AUTOMATIC HEAT REGULATING APPARATUS.

Patnted Mar. 13, 1894.

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G. P. G'OOD HUE. AUTOMATIC HEAT REGULATING APPARATUS.

No. 516,198. Patented Mar. 13, 1894 INVENTEJFQ;

CHARLES F. GOODHUE, OF

PATENT OFFICE.

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

AUTOMATIC HEAT-REGULATING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 516,198, dated March 13, 1 894.

Application filed May 11, 1393.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, OHARLEs F. GooDHUn, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Heatltegulating Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements on the automatic heat-regulating apparatus shown and described in Letters Patent of the United States No. 473,699, granted to me April 26, 1892.

The objects of the present invention are chiefly as follows: To combine with the apparatus shown in said patent an indicator, which will show the condition of the draftregulating device. To combine with said ap paratus means whereby the draft-regulating device may be operated at will and independently of the thermostat. To provide means whereby the thermostatic contact through which the damper is opened may be out out of circuit, as, for instance, at night, when a low temperature is to be maintained until morning. To provide means whereby the said thermostatic contact maybe automatically restored to operative condition at a predetermined time. To provide emergency thermostatic devices, whereby the temperature is prevented from falling beyond a certain limit when the apparatus is adjusted for night service.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the improvements.

Figure 1 shows a front elevation of the apparatus. Fig. 2 shows a similar elevation, with the cover of the inclosing box or case thrown back on its hinges. Fig. 3 shows a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2, the cover being represented as closed. Fig. 4 shows a diagrammatic view.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

My improved apparatusis employed in conjunction with a motor such as illustrated in my former patent, or one of any suitable construction and operatively connected with the damper or draft-regulating device of a furnace or other heater. The connection may be made in the manner shown in my former patent, or in any other suitable manner. An illustration and description of the motor is Seria1N .4'73,793. (No model.)

not here given, in view of the full disclosure in my earlier patent, to which reference is made.

In the diagrammatic view, Fig. 4, the electro-magnet g, which controls the detent of the motor, is indicated as being included within an electric circuit embracing a battery or other source of electricity, indicated at g and a current-reverser q is shown, of the same construction and operation as that shown and described in my former patent. TVires g and connect the current-reverser with a thermostatic arm fiand an electro-magnet respectively. The thermostatic arm or bar 1 has its free end located between two contacts which are electrically connected respectively with contacts q, between which a polarized armature (1 is adapted to oscillate,the latter being located between the poles of the electro-magnet Q17, and said armature and electro-magnet constituting parts of a polarized relay, of which .2 is the permanent magnet. The connection between the contact which will be termed the high-temperature thermostatic contact, and the contact g, which will be termed the open contact, is by a wire The connection between the contact g, which will be termed the low-temperature thermostatic contact, and the contact Q15, which will be termed the shut contact, is by a wire a switch which will be hereinafter described, and a wire (1.

The operation of the parts described up to this time is the same as in the construction shown in my former patent, variation in temperature influencing the thermostatic arm or bar (1 and causing it to connect with one or the other of the contacts or q, according as the temperature rises or falls, and complete a circuit through the polarized relay, and the current-reverser, by which the polarized armature Q16 is caused to shift with each change of the dampers. In the present construction, I utilize the oscillations of this polarized armature, for indicating the condition of the damper. A casing a is mounted on the upper side of the box B, and incloses a dial, on which are inscribed the words Shut and Open, witha verticaldividing line between them. An index hand Bis fastened to the polarized armature Q16, and extends over said dial. When the apparatus operates to close the damper, the polarized armature is shifted, and the hand 1) stands over the word Shut, to indicate that the damper is closed. When the damper is opened by the operation of the apparatus, the hand I) is shifted to the other side of the dividing line, and stands over the word Open. I provide for manually completing the circuit for either closing or opening the damper independently of the thermostat, by push-buttons c and c, mounted in the cover B of the box, and designated Shut and Open. The circuit closed by the shut push-button a will first be traced. Said push-button is arranged to connecta pair of contact-strips 8, when pressed inward. One of said strips is connected by a wire 6' with a metal frame 6 fastened to the inside of the cover B, and a wire a attached to a difierent part of said frame connects the latter with the batterywire (1 a hinge f between the cover and box being utilized asaconductor. The other one of the contact-strips e is connected by a wire c with a screw (2 fastened in the edge of the cover B. A resilient contact-strip e is fastened in a recess in the edge of the box B, in a position to be engaged by the screw e when the cover B is closed. A wire a connects said strip 6 with the wire It will be seen that, upon pressing the button 0 when the polarized armature is against the open contact and the damper consequently open, a circuit is completed and the damper closed, whereupon the polarized armature shifts and so indicates the condition of the damper.

The agencies by which the push-button c completes a circuit will next be recited. Said push-button is adapted to connect a pair of contact-strips 9 when it is pressed in. One of said strips is connected by a wire 9 with the frame e before mentioned, and the course thence to one pole of the battery is the same as before described, viz., wire e hinge f and wire The other contact-strip g is connected by a wire 9 with a screw g fastened in the edge of the cover, and a resilient contactstrip g is fastened in a recess in the edge of the box B, in position to be engaged by the screw 9 when the cover is closed. A wire 9 connects said strip 9 with the wire (1. It will now be seen that, upon pressing the button 0' when the polarized armature is against the shut contact @1 and the damper consequently shut, a circuit is completed and the damper is opened, whereupon the polarized armature is shifted and so indicates the condition of the damper.

When the furnace is to be adjusted for the night, if the dam per is not already closed, the

ush-button c is pressed, and the damper thereby closed. Provision is made for maintaining the damper closed through the night. This consists in a metallic switch h, pivoted to a bracket h fastened on the inner side of the box B.

The switch forms part of the connection between the low-temperature thermostatic contact q and the shut contact 11 as follows: The wire (1 is connected with a contact-strip h fastened to the inner side of the box B, and the switch has a lateral arm h whose metallic portion engages the contactstrip h The wire d is connected with the bracket h. The switch has a handle h, projecting from the box; and, when the damper has been closed for the night, the switch is turned by this handle, and the contact between the lateral arm h and the strip 71. is broken. This cuts the low-temperature contact q out of circuit, and hence, when the thermostatic arm is moved against itiunder influence of the low-temperature, no action of the apparatus takes place.

Means are provided for automatically restoring the low-temperature contact to the circuit at a predetermined time,and thereby causing the damper to be opened. The instrumentalities employed to accomplish this object will be enumerated: A clock-movement is supported on the frame e and operates hands t' 1' working over a clock-face i on the exterior of the cover B. It will be remembered that a wire 6 in connection with one pole of the battery, attaches to the frame 6 The short hand i is in electrical connection with the supporting-frame, and consequently with said wire 6 A bezel 2' supports a crystal over the clock-face 11, and said bezel is fitted to a rim i fastened on the cover B, so as to turn on said rim. The bezel carries on its inner side a contact-finger t projecting over the clock-face, and the short hand 'i of the clock is formed for electrical contact with said finger as-it passes over the same. The bezel is in electrical connection with the rim 4?, and said rim is electrically connected by a bolt 6 extending through the cover B with a wire 2' but isin sulated from the frame 6 The wire 1' is connected, through a hinge i between the box and cover, )Nith a wire 2' in the box, and the latter wire is connected with a Wire 2' The IIO wire i is connected with an electro-magnet j, and the said magnet isconnected bya wire j with one of apair of contact stripsfij fastened on the inner side of the box, said strips being insulated from each other. The other one of said strips 7' is connected by a wire j with the permanent magnet of thepolarized relay. The lateral arm h of the switch it carries a contact-piece j, insulated from its metallic portion and adapted to engage the strips j 7' when the switch is shifted for night adjustment and make connection between said strips. The clock-bezel is set with the contact-finger i at the hour at which it is desired that the damper shall be opened,say at six oclock in the morning. When six oclock arrives, the short hand 11 contacts with the finger i and it will be observed that a circuit is thereby completed, by which the damper is opened and the index-finger b shifted to the open side of the indicator.

It will be remembered that, when the switch was shifted for the night adjustment, the low-temperature thermostatic contact was cut out of circuit. Means are provided for automatically restoring said contact to circuit when the clock-circuit is established. The arrangement for accomplishing this is as follows: An armature m, arranged to be influenced by the electro-magnet 7', is supported on the end of a lever m, which is pivoted interm ediate of its ends to a standard m erected in the lower side of the box B. That arm of the lever on the side of the pivot opposite the armature is the heavier, so that, when the lever is free, the armature is held away from the electro-magnet by gravity. The switch 7t has an upward-projecting arm a, which is arranged to stand under the lever m and sus tain the same, when the switch is in its normal adjustment or that adjustment when the clock is cut out and the low-temperature thermostatic contact cut in. The switch is held in this position by a spring 272 connecting it above its pivot with an arm of the bracket It. When the switch is shifted for the night adjustment, its arm n is carried beyond the end of the lever m, and said lever drops below the arm n, and the armature m is moved away from the electro-magnetj. The arm 12 now stands against the end of the lever. hen the clock-circuit is made, the electromagnet j is energized, and draws down the armature m, thereby disengaging the lever from the arm n of the switch, whereupon the latter is returned to its normal position by the spring m and the low-temperature thermostatic contact is restored to circuit, and the apparatus is in condition to be thermostatically controlled. Insulation 7? on the end of the arm 77. prevents electrical connection between said arm and the lever m.

A post 0, carrying a set-screw o, affords means for limiting and adjusting the amount of movement of the armature m away from the electro-magnet.

Auxiliary thermostatic devices are pro vided, to be rendered operative in case of an emergency, such as the temperature falling lower than desiredduringthenight. The thermostatic arm or bar q carries a pair of resilient strips p19 fastened to its opposite sides and arranged for engagement with high and low temperature contacts 1) and 19 The strip 1) stands normally against the high-temperature contactp, while the strip p stands normally away from the low-temperature contact 19 and only a very lowtemperature will cause saidlatter strip to reach the contact 19 The latter is connected by a wire 19 with the shut contact and hence, upon said strip encountering the contact 19 a circuit is completed which causes the damper to be opened. The high-temperature contact 19 is connected by a wire 11 with the standard m and a wire 19 connects the post 0 with the open contact q through the wire (1 lVhile the night adjustment is maintained, the open contact (1 and the high-temperature contact 19 are electrically connected through the wires q and p, the post 0, the screw 0 the armature lover or, the standard m and the wire 19 The damper having been operated by reason of a connection being made between the strip 19 and the contact 19 the consequent increase in temperature is checked by the strip 19 being returned against the contact 19', which completes a circuit whereby the damper is closed again.

During the day adjustment, it will be remembered that the armature lever m is supported by the switch-arm 'n. Said lever is thereby held out of contact with the screw 0, and the high-temperature emergencycontact p is cut out of circuit. The said emergency contact makes connection with the strip 19 while the connection between the thermostatic arm and the contact is broken, so that the damper will be closed before the temperature can rise to the day limit. Hence the necessity of cutting the contact 19' out of circuit through the day.

Switches 3 s and s are provided, whereby the clock, the thermostat, or the whole apparatus may be cut out of circuit. Thus an adjustment may be affected, whereby the apparatus is solely under the control of the pushbuttons 0 c, and the clock-circuit may be used or not, as desired.

In the present construction, the thermostatic arm is inclosed within the casing or box B, to protect it, and the box is perforated so that the temperature will be the same within as without.

It is evident that the invention might be carried out by other means than those here shown,and hence I am not limited to the particular form in which I have here chosen to illustrate the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A temperature-controlling apparatus, comprising in its construction an electric circuit adapted to render operative damper-controlling mechanism, and embracing a thermostatic circnit-closing device, a polarized relay having a vibratory armature, and a currentreverser; and an indicator consisting of a dial suitably inscribed to designate conditions of the damper, and an index carried by the armature of the polarized relay.

2. A temperature-controlling apparatus, comprising in its construction an electric circuit adapted to render operative damper-controlling mechanism, and embracing a thermostatic circuit-closing device, a polarized relay having a vibratory armature, and a currentreverser; and means for establishing the circuit independently of the thermostatic device.

3. A temperature-controlling apparatus, comprising in its construction an electric circuit adapted to render operative damper-controlling mechanism, and embracinga thermostatic circuit-closing device, a polarized relay having a vibratory armature, and a currentreverser; and means for establishing the circuit independently of the thermostatic device, such means being manually controlled, as by push-buttons.

4. .A temperature controlling apparatus, comprising in its construction an electric circuit adapted to render operative dam per-controlling mechanism, and embracing a thermostatic circuit-closing device, a polarized relay having a vibratory armature, and a currentreverser; and means for automatically establishing the circuit at a predetermined time and independently of the thermostatic device.

5. A temperature controlling apparatus, comprising in its construction an electric circuit adapted to render operative damper-controlling mechanism, and embracing a thermostatic circuit-closing device, a polarized relay having a vibratory armature, and a currentreverser; and means for automatically establishing the circuit at a predetermined time and independently of the thermostatic device, such means including a clock having a movable bezel which carries a contact -finger adapted to make connection with a hand of the clock.

6. A temperature controlling apparatus, comprising in its construction an electric circuit adapted to render operative damper-controlling mechanism, and embracing a thermostatic circuit-closing device, a polarized relay having a vibratory armature, and a current-reverser; means for automatically establishing the circuit at a predetermined time and independently of the thermostatic device; and a switch arranged to be manually operated, to cut the thermostatic device out of circuit and the said timing means in circuit.

7. A temperature controlling apparatus, comprising in its construction an electric circuit adapted to render operative dam per-controlling mechanism, and embracing a thermostatic circuit-closing device, a polarized relay having a vibratory armature, and a current-reverser; means for automatically establishing the circuit at a predetermined time and independently of the thermostatic device; a switch arranged to be manually operated,

to cut the thermostatic device out of circuit and the said timing means in circuit; and means controlled by the clock-circuit for restoring the switch to its normal adjustment.

8. A temperature controlling apparatus, comprising in its construction an electric circuit adapted to render operative damper-controlling mechanism, and embracing a thermostatic circuit-closing device, a polarized relay having avibratory armature, and a current-reverser; means for automatically establishing the circuit at a predetermined time and independently of the thermostatic device; a switch arranged to be manually operated, to cut the thermostatic device out of circuit and the said timing means in circuit; an electro-magnet in the clock-circuit; and an armature for said electro-magnet and carried bya lever which co-acts with the switch, whereby it holds the latter as manually adjusted and releases it when the electro-magnet is energized.

9. A temperature-controlling apparatus, comprising in its construction an electric circuit adapted to render operative damper-controlling mechanism, and embracing a thermostatic circuit-closing device, a polarized relay having a vibratory armature, and a current-reverser; means for automatically establishing the circuit at a predetermined time and independently of the thermostatic device; a switch arranged to be manually operated, to cut the thermostatic device out of circuit and the said timing means in circuit; an electro-magnet in the clock-circuit; an armature for said electro-magnet and carried by a lever which co-acts with the switch, whereby it holds the latter as manually adjusted and releases it when the electro-magnet is energized; and an auxiliary thermostatic device, arranged to be cut in and out of circuit by the armature-lever.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 22d day of April, A. D. 1893.

CHAS. F. GOODHUE. Witnesses:

A. D. HARRISON, F. PARKER DAVIS. 

